NEW
YORK, Aug. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Community Solutions announced that Thurston County, Wash., including the state
capital Olympia, became the fifth
community nationwide to obtain real-time by-name data on all single
adults experiencing homelessness.
"We can't solve homelessness if we don't know who's experiencing
it," said Beth Sandor, chief program
officer at Community Solutions. "Achieving quality by-name data is
a critical milestone in the journey to solve homelessness -- one
that will equip Thurston County
leaders to connect people experiencing homelessness with the right
supports and housing for their specific circumstances."
Most cities rely on the annual Point-in-Time Count, which only
tallies the number of unsheltered people once a year. Quality
by-name data is a comprehensive source of information on every
person experiencing homelessness, including their name, history
with homelessness, and health and housing needs. Outreach teams
collect the data with consent and update it monthly.
Unlike the annual count, real-time data allows cities to
evaluate whether their strategies reduce homelessness over time. It
also enables communities to prioritize resources and monitor
whether homelessness reductions are racially equitable.
Thurston County reached
this milestone through participating in Built for Zero, an
initiative of more than 100 U.S. cities and counties using data to
measurably and equitably end homelessness. Next, the Thurston County team will focus on reducing
chronic homelessness in the area.
Four other Built for Zero communities -- Fairfax County, Va., Washoe County, Nev., Missoula, Mont., and St. Louis, Mo. -- have secured by-name data
for all single adults. More than 65 Built for Zero communities have
achieved quality by-name data for at least one homeless
population.
"This milestone brings us one step closer to solving
homelessness in our community," said Keylee
Marineau, homeless response program manager at Thurston County's Office of Housing &
Homelessness Prevention. "Our team will continue to strive towards
addressing racial disparities and centering the invaluable
contributions of people who have experienced homelessness in our
response efforts."
About Community Solutions
Community Solutions is
a nonprofit committed to making homelessness rare and brief. It
leads Built for Zero, a network of more than 100 U.S. communities
using a data-driven methodology to improve local housing and
homelessness response systems and the impact they can achieve. To
date, 14 communities have reached functional zero veteran and or
chronic homelessness, a milestone for homelessness being rare and
brief for a population. Learn more at
www.community.solutions or follow us at @CmtySolutions.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alden
Iaconis
(202) 516-6593
381296@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Community Solutions